WEST FRANKFORT, Ill. (WSIL) -- Dozens gathered at the Frankfort Intermediate School gymasium for a special board meeting regarding a high school gym teacher's future Monday night.
Cody Hiller was placed on administrative leave last month for reportedly refusing to allow a transgender student inside a boy's locker room.
In a special meeting on November 3, the school board voted to give Hiller a remedial warning, allowing him to return to work.
Eleven days later, Hiller received a second warning, clearing the way for his return to work this week. It's unclear why Hiller was placed on administrative leave last week.
The meeting opened with a statement from the school board in which they told the crowd that the district was working within the confines of state and federal law.
Failure to do so, according to the board, would result in loss of state and federal funds that help keep the school running.
According to guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education:
"The Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA�) makes it a civil rights violation for schools to “[d]eny or refuse to another the full and equal enjoyment of the facilities, goods, and services� on the basis of gender identity or other protected status."
A 90-minute public comment afterwards saw 17 speakers pleading with the school board to 'do the right thing' by not firing Hiller and looking for more ways to protect students.
"This is a bad law," James Conyers said. "You need to stand up for good laws and laws that mean something to everyone."
One woman was concerned that students could constantly change the gender they identify as and put kids like hers in danger.
"Kids change their mind," Casey Smith, a mother of two, said. "What happens when they change their mind and my son is the one in the locker room with a child who's now decided they're a girl again?"
In a statement to News 3 prior to the meeting, superintendent Matt Donkin said 'We are trying to follow the law and be fiscally responsible for managing the district but we certainly understand their passions on the issues."
But one of those who spoke says the school board can stand up to the state by making the 'right decision'.
"You said we have no choice," Ivan Ryan said. "I want to tell each one of you men and women that you do have a choice."